Indiana higher education chief: New policy might be clarified

A policy statement recently approved by Indiana’s higher education commission will likely be clarified, after it sparked concerns that it would restrict academic freedom at the state’s regional college campuses, the education commissioner said.

Commissioner Teresa Lubbers told The Times of Munster the Indiana Commission for Higher Education has “no interest or legal authority to dictate policy to regional campuses.”

The commission’s policy, which was approved in October, states that, “regional campuses should limit research to scholarly activity related to faculty teaching responsibilities and research related to local and regional needs.”